Reddit blocked Microsoft from searching its site and using the data to train their AIs

Reddit’s CEO, Steve Huffman, highlighted Microsoft’s secret habit in a tech-world twist. The executive made an interesting statement about how Microsoft used Reddit’s extensive data collection to teach its AI services without Reddit’s knowledge.

In an interview with The Verge, Huffman mentioned that Microsoft, Anthropic, and Perplexity are among the AI businesses that acted like the Internet was their oyster by freely utilizing content for training their AI. This came after Reddit decided to take a strong stand in demanding search engines pay if they want to access its data—only Google has paid up until now.

Huffman used a clear analogy to explain how difficult it is to prevent these big tech companies from accessing Reddit’s data. He said blocking them feels like trying to keep squirrels away from a bird feeder. Even though Microsoft provided options for webmaster crawling controls, Reddit decided to use another search engine, which Huffman didn’t mention.

This situation is not solely about Reddit and Microsoft. Instead, it offers a small look at the broader discussion regarding how tech firms utilize public data for their AI objectives. Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman’s comment that internet data has been “freeware” stokes more discussion, implying a long-established understanding that data can be used for training artificial intelligence.

Huffman’s position suggests changing how content creators perceive their connection with search engines and AI firms. The old arrangement of exchanging data for traffic appears to be changing. As AI’s data hunger increases, the conditions for interaction are being redefined. Reddit’s decision could create a first instance, motivating additional content providers and preventing crawlers from agreeing.

This ongoing story of Reddit versus Microsoft is more significant than just a dramatic disagreement between two companies. It represents a crucial matter of our times, showing the intricate connection between data privacy, artificial intelligence development, and the fundamental principles on which the Internet functions.